Walking on the Downs is an altogether different experience to the Chilterns. The views are long, the skies big and today, candy floss clouds race in from the Channel. Back home walking is an altogether more immersive experience. This is more exposed. There's nowhere to hide.
summer
Hurley
Hurley stirs old memories of other's generosity. 40 years ago our boys' club leader had a motor launch moored here. Back then he used to take us on trips along the Thames. Altogether more innocent days! As we park up in Hurley it seems not much has changed in the intervening years. There are many more threatening 'No Parking' notices but the village shop and church look like they've been stuck in a time capsule. However the 21st Century comes crashing in as we walk west along the River...they're charging £3 per head for a picnic in the Riverside Park! Taking care not to inadvertently unpack food or drink, we press on as far as Culham Court.
Redbournbury
St Albans is awkwardly sandwiched between the M25, M1, Luton Airport and rail connections north...and yet it's still possible to leave it all behind. This is an easy walk along quiet lanes, crossing three secluded country estates...and all within a couple of miles of the busiest motorways in Europe
Sharpenhoe Clappers
This is 'Bunyan country'. John Bunyan certainly got about a bit when he wasn't in Bedford jail. Almost all our paths are marked as 'John Bunyan heritage trail'. The views from the Sundon Hills and Sharpenhoe Clappers have probably changed quite a bit since he was here. Huge fields of wheat and barley are the order of the day today. At least this part of the walk is in and out of beech woods.
Goring
This really is a walk of two halves and, on the hottest day this year for walking, we're glad the first 7 miles are mostly through woods. From Goring we follow the gentle climb through Great Chalk Wood, Cray's Pond and Goring Heath. It's noticeably cooler in the shade and we have the paths to ourselves...the heat seems to have selected for mad dogs and Englishmen. We pass a charcoal making camp at Cray's Pond but even they've stopped today!
Where Angells Tread! 